Automatically releasable heel plate ski binding

ABSTRACT

A ski binding including a first plate member arranged for attachment to the ski and having at least a pair of normally outwardly urged tine members with means to adjust the outwardly urging force applied to the tines and a second plate member arranged for attachment to the skier&#39;&#39;s boot having a passage therethrough to position the same about said first plate member and having inwardly directed bosses for normally underlying said tines and a pair of slots adjacent each of said bosses such that upon a predetermined degree of rotation between said plates the tines will engage one or another of said slots and permit separation of said plates.

United States Patent 72 Inventor William ll.lleese,.|r.

1091 22nd Ave., 8.11., Minneapolis, Minn. 55414 211 AppLNo. 241,112 [22] Filed Nov. 28, 1962 [45] Patented 0ct.5, 1971 [54] AUTOMATICALLY RELEASABLE HEEL PLATE SKIBINDING 8Claims,6Drawing Figs. [52] U.S.Cl. ..2S0/l1.35|( [51] lnt.Cl A63c9/0I2 [50] FieldolSenreh..; 280/1135 [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,061,325 10/1962 Glass 280/ll.35A 2,868,555 1/1959 Barnettetal. 280/11.3SC 2,954,236 9/1960 Osborn 280lll.35-C

FOREIGN PATENTS 134,284 10/1929 Switzerland 280/1 1.35 A 1,077,640 5/1954 France 280/ l 1.35 B

Primary Examiner-Leo Friaglia Assistant Examiner-Milton L. Smith Attorney-John W. Adams ABSTRACT: A ski binding including a first plate member arranged for attachment to the ski and having at least a pair of normally outwardly urged tine members with means to adjust the outwardly urging force applied to the tines and a second plate member arranged for attachment to the skier's boot having a passage therethrough to position the same about said first plate member and having inwardly directed bosses for normally underlying said tines and :a pair of slots adjacent each of said bosses such that upon a predetermined degree of rotation between said plates the tines will engage one or another of said slots and permit separation of said plates.

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B I f M 5' f A 1NVENTOR.

Mann ll. Rees: JR.

so 2a Arron/3r AUTOMATICALLY RELEASABLE HEEL PLATE SKI BINDING Skiing enthusiasts have found that their skis may best be controlled when their boots are tightly bound to the skis so as to form a single unit. As a result, a multitude of toe bindings have been developed which efficiently hold the front of the foot tightly to the ski but have an added safety feature which will release the boot upon swinging of the same upon a rearward axis.

Various methods have also been developed wherein the heel of the boot is securely bound to the ski. Many of these have an added safety feature which permits rotation of the heel of the boot by fastening the same to a rotatable plate which in turn is secured to the ski. Therefore, in a bad fall, the front of the skiers boot will be released and the ski is free to rotate about the heel of the boot. Thus, the rotational forces terminate at the plate and are not transmitted to the leg or foot of the skier. Although these safety features have reduced the number of accidents such as fractures due to twisting during falling, they have not reduced the number of injuries caused by the ski windmilling and striking the skier after he has fallen nor have they reduced one of the most serious accidents which is stretching or tearing of the Achilles tendon. This accident may result from either a direct forward fall or a fall in which the rear of the ski is caught and the body falling forward pulls against the heel which is, of course, still securely bound to the ski. To solve this problem, I have invented a device which will allow the skier to firmly bind the heel of his boot to his ski and which will completely release the same from the ski upon rotation of the heel and further release the boot from the ski upon the application of a substantial upward or combination of an upward and forward force. It is a specific object of my invention to provide a pair of cooperating heel plates one of which is secured to the heel of a skier's boot by one of many conventional methods, the other of which is securely attached to the ski and wherein cooperating tines hold the two members together when the boot is directed properly on the ski and which will in turn separate from each other when rotated into the spacing provided between tines.

It is a further specific object of my invention to provide a pair of cooperating heel members wherein extensible tine members serve to hold the members together, such tines being further retractable upon the application of a predetermined upward force so as toallow the heel members to disengage themselves.

It is a further specific object to provide an adjustment means wherein the tension placed on extensible tine members may be varied such that the tine members will retract upon the application of a predetermined force.

It is a further specific object of my invention to provide a heel binding for a skiers boot operable under icy or snowy conditions.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. I is an elevational view of my heel binding as it may be used on a ski;

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIG. I;

h FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 5- 5 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a portion of FIG. 2 drawn to an enlarged scale.

To illustrate my new invention of a releasable safety heel binding, I provide a ski A, a front toe bringing B to be attached heel portion of the foot, as best shown in FIG. 1. The boot is securely strapped to a heel plate I2 by any of several conven tional means such as a long thong strap E as illustrated. As best shown in FIG. I, the strap is passed through a pair of openings lea-44a arranged in a pair of upstanding side members 14-14 which, in the fonn shown, are extensions of the heelplate 12.

In the form shown, a cylindrical boss member 15 is securely attached to the ski A by fastening means such as the screws 16 passing through passages I7 in said boss member and extending into the material of the ski A. The heelplate I2 is provided with a central opening 18 such that it will rotate on the arcuate periphery of the boss member 15 and have its lowermost side 12a adjacent the ski. Boss member 15 is provided with a pair of retractable tine members l9 19 extending outwardly and rearwardly therefrom and in the form :shown arranged approximately 60 from the centerline of the ski A. In the form shown, the tines 19 are generally rectangular in shape and are provided with an angular undercut portion I which, in the form shown, has an angle of approximately 45 and which nor mally extends outwardly from the periphery of the boss member 15, as best shown in FIG. 5. The tines are slidably contained within similar shaped slots 151-150 in the boss member 15 and extend to a central opening 15b in said boss member which, in the form shown, has at least two parallel, oppositely disposed sides l5c-- 15c arranged adjacent the tine slot openings 15a. A pair of spring members 20-20 are arranged to lie normally adjacent said parallel sides 15:: and are attached to said boss member 15 at one end thereof as by pins 21 or similar fastenings. An adjustment means such as a screw 22 is arranged to lie parallel to and intermediate the spring members 20 as by extending through a passage I5: extending radially through the boss 15 and, in the form shown, includes a relatively stiff adjusting bar 23 having its ends 23a23a positioned against one of each of said spring members 20. Said bar 23 further has a small central passage 23b to receive a reduced connecting tip 22a of the adjusting screw 22. For adjustment, the passage I5e may be provided with internal threads or as shown a nut member 25 may be applied within the boss I5 by providing a cooperating slot 15d transversely across said passage 15c. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the free ends 20a-20a of said spring members 20 he against the inwardly extending end portions of the tines 119 so as to produce resistance to any inward motion of said tines 19. Further, as best shown in FIG. 2, the heelplate 12 is provided with two pairs of notched openings 13a and 13b such that one of said openings 13a will be positioned on one side of one of said tines l9 and the other of said openings 13b will be positioned on the other side of said one of said tines 19 when in proper position on the ski. Between said notched openings, the heelplate I2 is provided with a bevel 13c entirely thereacross and corresponding to the angular cut on the tines 19 and being approximately 45. Said bevel is disposed oppositely of said angula'rly cut portion 19a of the tine 19 so as to underlie said tine when in proper position upon the ski.

In the preferred form of my invention and as best shown in the exploded view of FIG. 4, I provide a sliding base member 30 that will extend substantially over the width of the ski and will be interposed between the width; of the ski and the boss member 15. This slide plate allows the heelplate 12 to rotate slidably thereon so as not to scar or break the surface of the ski. Further, as best shown in FIG. 4, I provide a cover plate 31 to completely overlie the boss member 15 and substantially the same shape thereas. This plate is designed primarily to prevent the accumulation of ice and snow in the adjustment chamber of the boss member 15 to ensure the desirable move ment of the parts contained therein. As shown in FIG. 3, the plate 31 has its uppermost portion flush with or slightly below the heel-supporting portion of the heelplate l2 and is held thereto by the boss-attaching screws I6. The lowermost portion 120 of the heelplate 12 has slightly raised side members 12b such that the plate will be free to rotate upon said plate 30.

In operation of' my heel binding, the skier places the toe of his boot under the front clamp B and places the heel thereof between the upstanding side members 14. A strap or other holddown means is employed to hold the boot securely to the heelplate l2 and in the form shown the strap passes through the slotted openings 14a therein. This strap may be of any conventional design and is not a portion of this invention. The skier is now securely attached to his skis and the operation of my heelplate is substantially as follows:

By providing a tine member 19 extending from the pivotal boss member and beveling the extendingmost member, I form a cooperating fit with the inwardly extending beveled section 130 of the heelplate 12 such that the heelplate will be held. tightly thereto against a ski under normal conditions. However, upon exertion of a strong upward pull upon a boot and attached heelplate 12, the cooperating bevels 19a and 13c would exert an inward force on the tines 19 against the spring members 20. When the tines 19 are in fully retracted position, as shown by the dotted position of FIG. 6, the heelplate will be movable therepast and entirely away from the ski. By providing the adjustment member 22 and 23, the upward force necessary to force the tines 19 into a retracted position is adjustable over a wide range. Therefore, this binding will be useful not only by beginners, but by the more advanced skiers, as the beginning skier will feel more at ease on his skis if he has the comforting feeling that his skis will be released should he fall. In addition to this forward fall release feature, I have incorporated a rotational release feature which skiers in the past have found extremely important. Although the front toe release allows the toe of the boot to rotate in relation to the ski, this rotational effect must be released in some manner at the heel of the boot so as to not transmit these rotational forces to the leg of the skier and causing fracture thereof. For rotational release, I have incorporated a pair of notched openings 13a and 13b in close adjacent position to said beveled portion 13c and said notches 13a and 13b are substantially wider than the end 19a of the tine 19 so as to allow the same to pass therethrough. In this manner, the heelplate 12 may be completely released from the ski A upon a rotational efiect being transmitted thereto which happens, of course, when the front of the boot rotates relative to the ski. Although the importance of the tine members 19 is primarily for the forward fall release, they serve a dual purpose in producing a frictional antirotational force upon the heelplate 12. Therefore, it is possible to coordinate the release of the front toe clamp B and the heelplate 12 to release under the same rotational force. This would be extremely important for if the skiers front toe should release and the boot is not free to turn, the skier still will remain strapped thereto and the purpose of the safety heelplate will be lost.

It will be obvious from the above operational paragraphs that when a skier falls the heelplate 12 will be maintained on the heel of the boot. With my invention, it is not necessary for the skier to unstrap the plate from the boot but he may if he desires align either of the openings 13a or 13b with the extending tine 19 of the boss member 15 and push down so as to realign the beveled portions 19a and 13c and rotate his heel in the proper direction such that they will be in the matching position. This rotation, of course, will also bring the toe of the boot back to its proper position with relation to the toe clamp B. t

Therefore, it will be seen that l have invented a new and improved ski binding for the heel of the boot which will ensure positive release to the user and therefore has great safety features over those presently in use. Further, I have designed the cooperating members of my binding such that they will operate under icy or snowy conditions which, of course, is extremely necessary.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportion of parts without departing from the scope of my invention, which generally stated consists in the matter set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a ski having a front binding for the toe of a skiers boot adapted to pivot laterally should excessive torsional force be directed to the boot; a heel'binding unit to hold the heel of a boot in close relation to a ski including a boss member attached to said ski, plate means attached to the heel of the boot, said plate means having a central opening therethrough to receive said boss member therein and permitting rotation thereabouts, a pair of retractable tine means extending outwardly from said boss member generally toward the rear of said ski and spaced arcuately from the centerline of the ski as to overlie a portion of said heelplate means and hold the same in close relation to the ski and further retracting to release the boot from the ski upon a predetermined upward force applied to the heel of the boot and at least a pair of openings in said plate means arranged to lie on either side of each of said extending tine means when said heelplate and boss member are in proper engaged relation, said openings being substantially wider than said tine means such that the tine may pass therethrough releasing the heelplate means when the heel means is rotated so as to position said opening directly below said extending pin.

2. The structure as set forth in claim I and the outermost extending end of said tine means being beveled and the portion of the heelplate between said notched openings being cooperatively beveled so as to underlie the bevel of said extending pin when said boss member and plate are in proper engaged relation.

3.. A safety heel binding for a skiers boot adapted to be used in combination with a boot toe binding mounted on a ski and adapted to pivot laterally upon excess torsional force being applied to the boot, including an arcuate boss member with a central opening therein securely attached to the ski rearward of said toe binding and having at least a pair of extensible tine members extending radially from the periphery thereof toward the rear of the ski and arcuately spaced from a centerline of the ski, said tine members having the inner ends thereof extending radially inward to the central opening of said boss member, resilient spring means associated with said inner ends of said tines to maintain said tines in a normally extended position, a plate member attached to the heel of said boot and having a central opening therethrough to receive said boss member therein and having a portion thereof arranged to normally underlie said extended tines so as to be in close adjacent relation to said ski, at least a pair of notched openings in said plate member on either side of said underlying portion allowing said plate member to be removed from said boss member when rotated so as to position one of said openings directly below one ofsaid tines and further being releasable from said boss member upon the application of a predetermined upward force urging s'aid tines into a retracted position within said boss member.

4. The structure as set forth in claim 3 and the extending most portions of said tines being beveled so as to overlie the heelplate and hold the same thereunder.

5. The structure as set forth in claim 4 and the portion of the heelplate underlying said extending tines being inwardly beveled.

6. The structure as set forth in claim 3 and adjustment means including means to shorten the effective length of said spring means so as to increase the outward urging force applied thereby to said tines.

7. The structure as set forth in claim 3 and bearing means extending the entire width of said ski interposed between the ski and said boss member, providing a bearing surface for the rotation of said heelplate.

8. The structure as set forth in claim 3 and cover means associated with said boss member to seal the internal opening therein. 

1. In combination with a ski having a front binding for the toe of a skier''s boot adapted to pivot laterally should excessive torsional force be directed to the boot; a heel-binding unit to hold the heel of a boot in close relation to a ski including a boss member attached to said ski, plate means attached to the heel of the boot, said plate means having a central opening therethrough to receive said boss member therein and permitting rotation thereabouts, a pair of retractable tine means extending outwardly from said boss member generally toward the rear of said ski and spaced arcuately from the centerline of the ski as to overlie a portion of said heelplate means and hold the same in close relation to the ski and further retracting to release the boot from the ski upon a predetermined upward force applied to the heel of the boot and at least a pair of openings in said plate means arranged to lie on either side of each of said extending tine means when said heelplate and boss member are in proper engaged relation, said openings being substantially wider than said tine means such that the tine may pass therethrough releasing the heelplate means when the heel means is rotated so as to position said opening directly below said extending pin.
 2. The structure as set forth in claim 1 and the outermost extending end of said tine means being beveled and the portion of the heelplate between said notched openings being cooperatively beveled so as to underlie the bevel of said extending pin when said boss member and plate are in proper engaged relation. 3.. A safety heel binding for a skier''s boot adapted to be used in combination with a boot toe binding mounted on a ski and adapted to pivot laterally upon excess torsional force being applied to the boot, including an arcuate boss member with a cenTral opening therein securely attached to the ski rearward of said toe binding and having at least a pair of extensible tine members extending radially from the periphery thereof toward the rear of the ski and arcuately spaced from a centerline of the ski, said tine members having the inner ends thereof extending radially inward to the central opening of said boss member, resilient spring means associated with said inner ends of said tines to maintain said tines in a normally extended position, a plate member attached to the heel of said boot and having a central opening therethrough to receive said boss member therein and having a portion thereof arranged to normally underlie said extended tines so as to be in close adjacent relation to said ski, at least a pair of notched openings in said plate member on either side of said underlying portion allowing said plate member to be removed from said boss member when rotated so as to position one of said openings directly below one of said tines and further being releasable from said boss member upon the application of a predetermined upward force urging said tines into a retracted position within said boss member.
 4. The structure as set forth in claim 3 and the extending most portions of said tines being beveled so as to overlie the heelplate and hold the same thereunder.
 5. The structure as set forth in claim 4 and the portion of the heelplate underlying said extending tines being inwardly beveled.
 6. The structure as set forth in claim 3 and adjustment means including means to shorten the effective length of said spring means so as to increase the outward urging force applied thereby to said tines.
 7. The structure as set forth in claim 3 and bearing means extending the entire width of said ski interposed between the ski and said boss member, providing a bearing surface for the rotation of said heelplate.
 8. The structure as set forth in claim 3 and cover means associated with said boss member to seal the internal opening therein. 